Openings and reopenings
Published by Peter | Filed under Development, Eating & Drinking, History
Despite the recession, Camberwell’s playing host to a spate of pub/restaurant (re-)openings. Here’s a quick round-up of what’s happening, and what’s coming up.
The Grand Union opened last week to generally favourable reviews. I went along on Friday and the place was the busiest I’ve seen it for years; here’s hoping that continues. The refit has been positive; it’s a little fussy for my tastes, but it feels cosy.
Small quibble: food is pretty much burgers or nothing, and while there’s lots of variety of burger, you’d think for somewhere gambling on a single food item that it’d have to be perfect; unfortunately, while the meat itself was tasty and well-cooked, my blue-cheese sauce tasted more like mayonnaise.
Still; teething problems, I hope. I’ll certainly be going back to try them again. I still wish they’d kept the Grove name, though.
Names brings me on to George Canning; did you know he was the last British Prime Minister to take part in a duel? And with the Secretary of State (for War and The Colonies!) no less. His namesake pub has been refitted and reopens this weekend; the bar on Friday 13th, the kitchen on Saturday 14th.
No major changes inside (although I hope they’ve replaced the toilets, which were among the worst around); the bar and kitchen are in the same locations. The George Canning used to be a fine little bistro a couple of years back, so I hope they aim to get back to that.
The Silver Buckle has been taken over by Antic, owners of the East Dulwich Tavern (and others), and is to reopen as The Oberon. To remain a traditional pub, from what I hear.
And finally: the Angels & Gypsies Tapas y Cervecceria, long believed to be a myth, is advertising for staff and so likely to open soon. It’s been, what — three years since the hotel opened? They’re going to have to live up to high expectations, at least from me. But I really can’t wait; Camberwell needs something like this.
Fingers crossed that all the new arrivals thrive here.
What’s George Canning’s link with Camberwell? Certainly no link on the Wiki page.
Judging by Mark’s Camberwell timeline in the previous post the buffers were hit around the same time as copeywolf’s arrival. Sorry guys.
Don’t think he has any direct connection; there are a few pubs are named after him.
Is it a coincidence that there’s a pub in East Dulwich called the Palmerston? Presumably after Lord Palmerston, Canning’s nemesis.
I went to the opening night at Grand Union aka The Grove and thought it was shocking. I’ll give them that it’s better than before but that’s not saying much. The decor was a confused fusion of neon signs, Parisian brothel and Japanese bric-a-brac.
I think they did well to put the booths in which were cosy and comfy but I’d have closed off the front and back rooms. The place doesn’t actually feel significantly different from before besides the food.
I hope it survives and flourishes though.…too many places come and go.
The Grand Union’s back room has excellent canoodling possibilities. The loucheness is quite a turn-on. Surely a fusion is not confused, but fused. I thought I saw some couples almost fusing in that back room, as it happens, on opening night. Perhaps the style is not so much Singapore as Surabaya, Kurt Weill and all that, what! Ahhh… Shocking is sublime.
Had a GU burger last night. Quite meaty wind today.
That’s a sign of a good burger though! Enjoyed it on the 2 for 1 offer but if it were the full £6/£7 I think I’d go to Golden Grill for a bab.
Place was comfortably busy last night. Music a bit loud at times.
The Hootenanny in Brixton was also called The George Canning originally…
Lord Palmerston was a heroin smuggler…which just goes to prove that the bourgeoise families of today were the same contrabandists,drug smugglers,gunrunners and mercenaries of their day…
Nothing ever changes…
@ Dags
Surabaya Johnny — Kurt Weill & Bertholt Brecht’s louch classic. Your namesake (Dagmar) Krause did a fabulous version of that in the mid 80’s.
She is a good old Hamburger, Mush, a proper Hanseatic girl, plied her trade and perfected her craft in the tough clubs of Hamburg, like the Beatles.
Our own Florence would make a good torch singer — she should do some Kurt Weill. Imagine Florence from Camberwell singing Mac the Knife! Classic!
@Dags,
Great idea and, I suspect, not that unlikely. Florence has a magnificent voice and a refreshing artistic edge.
Here’s the other Dagmar on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yojuTJoc5KA
Went out last night. Strange one off experimental music showcase at The Sun and Doves. Fairly busy with a mixture of youth drawn by the evening’s promise and regular punters wearing tolerant smiles. The original music sung and rapped live by its writers was arresting and worthy of attention, the DJ infill sounded like it had been recorded in an empty cavernous loudly echoing multi storey car park, created out of bin lids and corrugated iron wobble boards. Not my kind of music, nor anyone elses for that matter. The Dj appeared pleased, attentive and oblivious to the cacophany he was generating. I asked the tallest member of the audience if they might ask the DJ to turn it down and he did.
Next to Grand Union. Overall moderately busy, definitely much too busy interior decor — trying way too hard to be some kind of cool that hasn’t registered with any interior decor gurus yet, Nanny’s Knickers crossed with Tart’s Boudoir. Kept having the feeling they are doing an anti Ikeas ‘out with the chintz’ campaign. The music is dull but not awful, piped over a good sound system and played too loud for the level of business there was. No draught cider on tap among the forest of lagers and ales (as with its previous Youngs’ incarnation) which strikes me as something of an unintended style statement in itself. Staff attentive, smiling and all trying cocktails and paying attention as Rose, the manager, took two of them through making Bloody Marys; shaken not flipped which is unneccessary for a Bloody Mary.
Then up to the George Canning for a last scoop before hometime. GAH. What an odd thing has happened there. If I didn;t see it with my own eyes I’d struggle to believe it. This is an EXCELLENT example of everything that’s WRONG with pubco UK. Enterprise Inns spent a lot of time and intransigence working with Steve in not helping turn it around on a rent of £37K and a beer discount of £40 a brewers’ barrel. It was not working and the place shut because it was losing Steve’s business money. So, failed and shut, Enterprise pile in with a refurbishment which in truth is no more than an unimaginative but well executed paint and decoration makeover, replaced all the kitchen and bar equipment with brand new kit, new chairs and tables, awnings and lights outside — I’d guess they’ve spent £100K on the place. Now it’s being run by a management company — a bunch who run pubs to keep them trading while they are being marketed to as tied leases for new long term tenants to sign a long deal on. The staff have George Canning shirts, they are well trained and attentive, the manager knows what he’s doing; yet the place manages to be utterly dull and characterless, devoid of any personality; basically awful… How on earth anyone would go in there after changing rooms has been done to it and impose new character over the job they’ve done is beyond me. What a terrible waste of time, money and what was already basically a very good community pub business that needed some money spent on it — which didn’t get spent because it made no money.
If anyone’s interested it’s being marketed: “Welcome to Enterprise Inns! Our business is providing pubs in England & Wales to both individual entrepreneurs and multiple operators on either a leased or tenanted basis. Our new agreements are always negotiated with applicants on a pub by pub basis and are structured to provide fair value and a viable business opportunity.”
“We are pleased to propose a Retail Partnership Agreement for discussion with interested applicants. The annual rental level will be dependent on the successful applicant’s plans for the business and will be discussed in further detail with the Regional Manager. As a further incentive, we are offering an above target discount of £150 per barrel. The actual level of ingoings required will again be dependent on their plans for the business and these can be discussed in much further detail with the Regional Manager, when we also agree the target and other principle terms.”
Here it is: http://www.enterpriseinns.com/Pages/Properties/031046.aspx#
I can’t express how angry this sort of disingenuous corporate arrogance and utter stupidity makes me.
The world is turning into a bunch of corporate replicants…that’s for sure
Thanks America…Your influence has done so much for humanity
Good that you eat your own dog food, Mark.
I went to Tadim’s for a Latte and a chocolate croissant. Only £2.50 all in.
Another customer had left a copy of the Guardian. I had a window seat. Easy life.
Agree with you about the George Canning Mark. All the charm of the place gone. Really disappointing.
And more vinyl signnage! This time mint green.
@ eusebiovic: worryingly true but some of those most vociferously Anti Corporate America are American: https://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd
@Gabe? Dog food? No dog in the house. I snack on hamster food and for main meals it’s cat’s dinners — from Lidl of course; in jelly. Their lamb and mint is especially aromatic and tasty. And oh so convenient; just rip off the lid, turn into an earthenware dish; microwave for three minutes, leave it to rest for another three mins and, heyho presto a balanced meal fit for a king.
@copeywolf: £100K down a drain somewhere — essentially to save face and say the pub is trading. Those pubcos are very clever.
@Camberwellonline: kegs of Sambrook’s Wandle ale will be delivered Thursday and on tap from Friday. Hurrah! http://www.sambrooksbrewery.co.uk/ Sticking with Hogan’s real cider on draught. Eat your heart out Grand Union.
Read your article, Mark. V interesting. Seems some of the area’s paradoxes are timeless.
We’ve got some great pubs in SE5 and the solution may be to teleport them to Brixton.
Went to the White Horse on Brixton Hill at around 1am on Saturday and the bouncer says there’s a 20 minute wait to get in?
Excuse me? A 20 minute wait to get into a totally average pub for a pint? What is this, Fabric?
Obviously we walked on, but it seems to me a big part of the battle is location. White Horse feeds off the hinterland of 20/30 year old educated whities with few other options to go to.
As such I worry the Canning is as doomed as it was before. I’ll have a look soon. Important to try to support these places.
Those pubcos are the same arseholes that tore out Traditional English Pub Interiors to turn them into Irish Theme Pubs (Brendan O’Geebags)and then back into Traditional English Pubs minus the original fixtures and fittings (ie: Sublime Carpintery and Original Minton Tiles)
A classic example was The 3 Stags on Lambeth Road…Intact if faded Cockney Boozer…all it needed was a sympathetic lick of paint…and they f***ed it right up — now full of B&Q/Homebase interior…
Shameful
I experienced the Sun and Doves ‘theme’ night on saturday. Though we hid around the corner. Was a little concerned about the need for 2 doormen. We did have an excellent burger though.
We also came up with an ill advised plan to have lunch at the George Canning on Sunday. That was a little chaotic, the food wasn’t ‘bad’ but I wouldn’t rush back. The roast chicken was ok but probably died of malnutrition. The roast beef looked ok. A good clean up like Mark said, but much the same formula as before.
Have finally checked out the Grand Union and am very encouraged — it looks great inside, 2 for 1 on burgers was welcomed (although burger itself was average and no better) manager Rose was very nice to chat to, and even the bouncer was on best behaviour — welcomed us very politely and said goodbye too. It was medium busy on Saturday evening so we headed off to the much more packed Grand Union on Acre Lane that I hope this one will soon be like. Even returned to check it out again on Sunday and most tables were occupied which is a good sign.
With this, The Sun and Doves (also briefly checked out their rap/ poetry/ performance night on Saturday which looked fun), The Bear, The Cambria and hopefully a soon to be revitalised Oberon replacing the Silver Buckle, we are beginning to have a few good options for pubs in Camberwell and that can only be a good thing.
Good set of pub reviews on here. The culture of pub-going seems to have changed a lot over the years.
@Mark eating your own dog food, — i.e. visting your own pub (and other pubs in the area) if you are in the pub business. I think the term orginated in the software industry.
@Gabe you most likely tapped into my absurd paranoia. I thought ‘your own dog food’ maybe referred to what you think of the FAYRE at the Sun and Doves.
The software industry clearly have to rewrite old stalwarts to give themselves a veneer of originality. In truth a Busman’s Holiday it was — and rightly too, because a lot is going on in the area and I’m torn three ways.
1) I want more to happen to Camberwell so that more people come here and circulate socially
2) I want that more happening to be good happening — for everyone’s benefit — so that it’s sustainable and it encourages more investment in the area as entrepreneurs spot an opportunity
3) I want the Sun and Doves to benefit from the shot in the arm Camberwell will get if the newcomers do it well but losing trade to them FREAKS ME OUT because we cannot possibly afford any reduction in income. Competition needs to encourage local people to stay here of an evening and to bring more people here to visit friends who live here instead of the other way round. Times in Camberwell have more or less always been hard and I don’t want my Sun and Doves to become an invisible statistic of the regeneration of the area which, to be fair to me, I kick started fifteen years ago with my pub… SE5 didn’t regenerate the way most people expected it would and nor has it since. Fifteen years is a long commitment and I don’t have a pension because I can’t afford to put the money into one!
Thought for the time being: A LOT of people have told me (and staff) that our burgers are the best they’ve EVER tasted. I like this and am just recounting — not bragging. I lived in America three lifetimes ago and worked at Joe Allen in Exeter Street WC2 two lifetimes ago. I always thought they did the best burger I’d ever eaten and if I ever got to set up a catering business I’d want to do burgers like that, if we did burgers. I avoided burgers at S&D for the first eleven years, partly because I was never happy with the results and gave in to the inevitable when I met Jean Paul Huberman, the Franconian Sausage man who developed our burgers using his sausage making technology about four years ago… Easy to say but, believe it or not, getting a burger ‘right’ on a semi industrial scale is very hard to achieve
Anyway now that the kitchen at the Doves is presided over by CHEF Robin alles is gut and there are a lot of changes happening — a lot about tweaking and refining what was already there before Rob but in two weeks there’s a noticeable difference.
Come and try it — you won’t be disappointed. If you are email me at mark@sunanddoves.co.uk and tell me about it right away!
Ah, no. It’s a good thing to eat dog food in that context.
But then, I wouldn’t even eat a burger. I’m vegetarian.
Ohoho Always been aware about non meat but cooks not that interested. We’re now doing even more vegetarian and… vegan — le CHEF Robin’s woman is vegetarian and so is my Mum; since I was 14.
News! LDA have won the Burgess redesign.
http://www.southwark.gov.uk/Public/NewsArticle.aspx?articleId=39811
@Phil G: http://www.camberwellonline.co.uk/2009/10/burgess-park-design-proposals/#comment-121733
I went to the George Canning on Friday night just to have a look. Everything Mark says above is true but you know what stood out for me the most? The new tables; they are total crap.
Popped into the Grand Union Sunday lunchtime. Unfortunately, I popped straight back out as there was no draught cider. Do you really need 8 lagers on tap? I don’t know, ridiculous!
Oh dear, scooped again. Must read this thing more carefully!
Pity about Camberwell train station never reopening or that we can’t rename Denmark Hill instead. There must be lots of people who would travel here but don’t take buses. A good cinema or club would also help to bring the people in and help to improve the image of Camberwell Green as looking rather like a bus depot. At the moment it’s a case of ‘local shops for local people’. And that surely restricts the number of people sustaining our pubs?
We can’t seem to sustain any restaurants unless the prices are pitched rock bottom.
@butterball: i wouldnt agree about local shops for local people, as that to me implies existence of a local character. i really don’t think there is one in camberwell town centre. butterfly walk is a prime example of everything unlocal: macdonalds, superdrug, supasnaps, 99p store, etc.
then we have barclays, another 99p store, a bakery chain shop, an estate agent, a betting shop, then, down camberwell road, a job centre, a newsagent and a chemist. and of course nail bars churches and bingo.
we’d written about some of the camberwell issues here http://www.peoplesrepublicofsouthwark.co.uk/news/the-camberwell-experiment and here http://www.peoplesrepublicofsouthwark.co.uk/news/arts-space, please feel free to comment on either.
we are also planning a forum of sorts (a play session really, as meetings are not the most creative way of spending a couple of hours) to see what camberwell could be
Butterball hits the nail on the head. Without a train station, people aren’t going to travel to SE5 regularlly and Camberwell will never sustain more than a couple of pubs / restuarants.
A long time ago, when the Redstar was a half decent dj bar with a rare late licence, people did cab it here occasionally for a night out. Now, no one travels to SE5 for the evening. The wierd Victoria — London bridge loop line isn’t likely to draw anyone in. We need Camberwell Green station reopened.
There was a chance this station could have been reinstated, but it would have required the closure of the under utilised Loughborough Junction (which lets face it, is only 10 minutes walk from Brixton overground and underground stations anyway, so no major loss in my opinion).
It’s a shame, euse Camberwell has been on the brink of something great, on and off, for around 10 yearse, it seemed like In the same period, East Dulwich, Herne Hill and Brixton have all boomed. Camberwell has got ever so slightly worse.
Until there is a major change to the transport infrastructure here, there isn’t going to be any serious improvements. I know, there are loads of buses… but let’s face it — buses are slow, unpredictable and often depressing.
The ‘click to edit function’ is crazy. Jumps all over the place, hence my attempt to edit a typo in above post leading to further incoherence.
I’m not convinced that the train is the problem; the distance from East Dulwich station to Lordship Lane is only marginally less than from Denmark Hill to Camberwell Green.
And Camberwell Green station will *never* reopen.
The problem is that Denmark Hill is on a strange (and irregular) loop line between Victoria and London Bridge. Useful for travelling out of Camberwell, but unlikely to bring many people in.
People are in such a hurry these days. Not they who live at 230 Perry Rise SE23, the most eccentric and greened terraced ‘arse in London. It won a Conservation Foundation “London’s Green Corners” Award last year. An ancient flag of St George was flying there today, so old that the red cross is now salmon pink. I wonder who lives there.
The nutty man who rides round shouting on his bike round here — well, there are loads of them — his bike lies unlocked and unpinched every night in the middle of the Lettsom Estate — the bike bears two large Welsh flags. He has baskets fore and aft. He is a basket case.
‘Camberwell has been on the brink of something great, on and off, for around 10 yearse, it seemed like In the same period, East Dulwich, Herne Hill and Brixton have all boomed. Camberwell has got ever so slightly worse.’
Absolute nonsense.
Alan, are you that nutty bloke who cycles round with two taff flags on his bike?
Yearse.
I find the edit system very good. It stops me from riding round with Danish pastries hanging from my handlebars and wearing a pig’s head.
Also, the new edit system on this blog is very good. Gone are the days of ghastly typso. Typsomania, giggle, titter, hee-hee!
Does anyone read the blog Hitchcock Blonde? It is very racy and sparky, like it.
No I’m not.
I’m the guy who gets the train from Denny H.
Are you the moody bird in Johansons/Seymour Bros?
Listen, honey, I am in the mood. You can climb my Denmark Hills any time.
Just got back from Brussels from meeting Euro MPs and Director General Consumer Affairs with CAMRA to discuss the beer tie and what’s happening to the UK pub market. Long day but very interesting. The Fair Pint Campaign is very effectively raising awareness of the dreadful state of the industry. http://www.fairpint.org was set up by our very own Camberwell pub licensees and has truly rocked the industry boat.
Enterprise Inns (George Canning; Hermit’s Cave and The Castle) results out today — massive drop in profits and from head office a barrage of bloated upbeat interpretations of the dire facts.
Admiral Inns went into administration yesterday (Nag’s Head — evicted last week).
So many pubs are failing it’s finally beginning to pull down the pubcos.
Weeks on and the roadworks on Kennington Rd near Elephant are still causing total mayhem on Walworth Rd.
Any other ‘developed’ country would’ve had it fixed in days, a week at the most. And as for the developing, well, I guarantee that China would’ve sorted it overnight.
It’s astonishing. The mayhem out there. Thank GOD I didn’t take the bus today. Thank God. I’d have missed meetings and all sorts.
And thanks to the idiotic overnarrowing of Walworth Rd by our stupid council, it was still a real challenge for those on bicycles and motorbikes.
Of all the many different places I’ve lived across the UK and this planet, the cr-p infrastructure and idiocy of this place often just drive me to despair. It’s the worst.
it wouldnt surprise me if they blamed it on the weather? (the idiocy i mean)
Wait, the Grand Union has eight lagers on tap! Why didn’t someone say sooner. That sounds like a selling point. (@southmark)
Phil,
If it’s that bad. Complain to those that can do something about it. What do you want me to do?
If it’s really that bad. MOVE. Let all those that appreciate the great things this country has to offer move into your place.
Ha ha. Well MCat, last time this was raised plenty of folk were keen to share the pain and it quickly became a talking point.
So, what do I want YOU to do about the burgers at GU? Or the lack of a tube station? Or Mark eating dog food?
Seems to me you had a similar outburst about perceived negativity a few months back, and that time you had even less of a point.
My friends here know that I’ve often been the 1st to big the place up when it deserves it. Excuse me for seeing the cons as well. I thought that moaning about transport was what makes one a real Londoner.
That said, I was a bit wired when I got in this morning, so it’s best taken with a pinch of salt. Sh1t roads though. Truly.
Just cycle — its great (avoid the Walworth Rd by going down Benhill Rd & Portland St)
You need a fast car.
Outside the Grand Union today was a Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG in shiny Flea Black with diamond inserts, silver slivets and fantasium filigree.
This car made the pub look like a hotel in Monaco or Casablanca, or a roadside tobacconist kiosk in Dubai, on the front of some sales brochure.
The 63 AMG has a 6.3 litre V8 normally aspirated petrol engine developing 514 bhp (British Horsepower) which takes the bus to 60-ish mph in 3.9 seconds.
A specimen recently took the speed record for a street legal car at the Nardo track in Italy. AMG the Merc tuners are owned by Bodo Buschmann.
The drifters and cruisers of Club Couture take note. Dis is serious gear, Sierra Leona Boy.
Now den.
Or New Den.
The 63 AMG is eclipsed by the 730 bhp BRABUS ROCKET.
Dis wheels is based on da aforesaid — pay attention in de dock, rude boy! — 63 AMG and is bored out to mean it can make a restricted 220 mph and serves as a polis car in Germania.
What to say.
Well, Lord Coe has negotiated for BMW to be a big sponsor of the 2012. They will supply bicycles to athletes in the Olympic village.
A machine is a device for tapping the power of nature, as Bronowski observed in “The Ascent of Man.”
But maybe, as man and his mate said long ago — or woman and boar as we say in old Denmark — best walk.
The only thing that will help Camberwell is the Bakerloo Line extension (which is due some time in 2025 — almost 100 years since tunneling began!)
I hear they are thinking of bypassing Camberwell Green in one probable plan…The completely talentless paltroons at Southwark Council would passively allow it to happen too…because they are very,very dim — always have been…
In the meantime we can concentrate on getting a cinema/arts centre in Camberwell…
It’s not as if there is a lack of potential support…
Camberwell College of Arts (hipsters)
Kings College Hospital (professionals)
English National Ballet
Local population crying out for a resource…Young Teens will always appreciate a performance/arts space, especially if it becomes part of a multi-use site for everyone
Like I said before…Gala Bingo — we need to keep a close eye on it…that’s our space…because it will close sooner rather than later!
A community cafe there…It would be a great place…The space is already there to the right by the bus stops
We could call it The Camberwell Carrot!
The former Redstar would make a nice community theatre space, but is unrealistic perhaps. There is already the Blue Elephant and that one down the side of the town hall.
Also House cafe seems to have gone quite quiet. They could do with a refresh.
Yes. That black AMG Merc outside the Grand Union had a personalised numberplate, BLOBBY, which is strange, kind of subverted the pimped ride.
Can just see that bored-out AMG Merc tearing up Walworth Road.
Exactly, Gabe. Those cars have “little dick’ written all over them. Switched-on people know that cycling gives men an enormous one and girls pert breasts and bum.
On the other hand it was a great car, that AMG, like a BMW Alpina, but tankier and less aeronautic.
The BMW bikes supplied to the Olympic athletes will be interesting. Land Rover produced some Land Rover badged bikes but they were a bit dull. Rover began by making bikes, in fact they invented the bike as we know it, the Rover Safety Bicycle.
Talking of which, aren’t Jenny Agutter’s three little dogs funny!
I have attempted to go to Grand Union twice — both times I walked out after 10+ waiting at the bar. if they are going to serve cocktails they need more staff or at least a member of staff for those of us drinking normal drinks. Burger selection good but as someone said why only burgers?
I think the area does need a train station of some kind or at least a transport facility named Camberwell — its psychological; it literally puts the area on the map.
How about a campaign to get DHill renamed Camberwell if we are not to have one on station road (the clue’s in the road name!).
Mind you I think reopening Camberwell station would be a quick win as the line is there and the building, platform etc would only cost a few £100million — I would have hoped that Southwark could have leveraged out some money through a section 106 agreement with a developer. I think the Network Rail Loughborough Junction argument doesnt really stand up as the station would create its own new demand for trains and Lambeth wouldnt want to give up the station as that area is undergoing regeneration.
On George Canning I dont think he particularly had anything to do with the area — most likely the area was being developed shortly after he was prime minister and in olden days they named pubs after prime ministers. I cant think of anyone naming their pub the John Major, Tony Blair of Gordon Brown today but maybe the trend will come back in. Areas like Canning Town in London and Canning Dock in Liverpool and probably more are named after him too
This Saturday at The Sun and Doves is going to be a lot of fun. New CHEF Robin Jackson is installing himself well… the fun starts around 2pm with DUSTED — bring your own 12″ vinyl to play a half hour set on our decks. Runs to 7pm when Acoustic Magic begins: http://tinyurl.com/yarhbll lots of REALLY talented musicians. You will love it!
It will be great! It was last month…
Oh, and we’re almost certainly (dependent on getting the cooking equipment) doing our first hog roast on Saturday 18th. Huge juicy crunchy salty sweet succculent cruroast pork sandwiches…
Mark, I dig roast pig. Do you mean Sat 28th Nov?
“Watkins Gray International has secured planning permission from the London Borough of Southwark for the first phase of the renewal of the 4,000m2, grade II listed Victorian baths in Camberwell.
“The original frontage of the building will be retained and enhancements such as low-energy plant equipment and solar hot water generation will be fitted.”
http://bit.ly/OmxFZ
Phil G: DOH! Saturday 28 November it is… Thanks for noting that. It IS dependent on the roaster arriving — it was supposed to be delivered last Saturday but, ahem, wasn’t. Such is the world of catering at times.
News for North West. I thought this was a sinecure.
@Mark — Hog roast is a great idea.
@regen: where did that come from?
It was in the News. Would be interesting to know who all the candidates were, and to have somewhere on the Southwark Labour website for locals to comment. We are such a red area, that every ward resident surely has a stake in the selection process.
John Friary was toasted
Re: transport, SRUG is sponsoring a media event of some sort on 1 Dec at Denmark Hill. They are the people behind the Save the SLL campaign http://www.bellenden.net/srug
Er 8AM and Edwardian dress… maybe not!
Is this a joke?
http://tiny.cc/diXY8
(Surely, X10 over-priced Alan?)
Seems a lot but that is a huge house in lovely street in a great area.
Ducked into the Church Street Hotel on Friday night and had a word with the guy on the desk regarding the Angels and Gypsies tapas bar. Apparently it will be opening by the end of the week, though when I tried to pin him down to an exact date, he wouldn’t commit to one.
Good leg work, citizen journo.
I’m really looking forward to it!
Celebrate: Transport for London have persuaded the train comapnies to accept PAYG Oysters from January — they have published an Oyster map of London which suddenly shows that South London not only exists but has railway lines — http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/Oyster-rail-services-in-London-Jan-2010.pdf
We at Gay Camberwell have been a bit distracted of late, but all the interesting openings and positivity going on in SE5 at the moment have spurred us back into action and we’ve given the website a proper update. Mainly after visiting Grand Union and feeling a review was due! ( http://www.gaycamberwell.com/bars.html ). I will be personally lining up to review Angels and Gypsies (though maybe I’ll make a plan B that night… not that I doubt its grand opening plans…). We’re planning to focus a bit more on publicising all the various interesting happenings in SE5 rather than just the specifically gay ones, to facilitate some more local socialising, so if anyone here wants us to promote any local events on our calendar, do e-mail details via the website! We’re also going to be writing the blog more often. And we’ve programmed the weekly gay-themed cinema at the Castle up til the end of January (Milk, La Cage Aux Folles, Some Like it Hot, It’s a Wonderful Life, the Wizard of Oz, The Hours, My Private Idaho, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar). All are welcome to any of the films. So, a public apology for our silence of late: we will do better!
As for a cinema/arts centre at Gala Bingo, it is my dream… The Blue Elephant and Oval House are great theatres, but not quite central Camberwell enough to give the area the right feel. And while, to be fair, you can now see free films in Camberwell on Tuesdays (Sun and Doves), Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (Whirled Cinema) and Sundays (The Castle), it would be lovely to stroll down to our local cinema and take our pick of a few blockbusters every so often…
one thing that really bugs me is how, to make things easier for governments’ and funders’ boxes, things/facilities tend to be specialist, ie for a specific age group/ethnic minority et cetera
i really cannot think of many places where you can go regardless of your age/ethnicity/financial status
The parks are the only place.
We need an indoor park.
Horniman museum is not far off.
Did you see that C4 prog last night about Nigerian witch children? Though I’m sure it doesn’t happen here, it bears thinking about when you next walk past one of our local pastors.
I see Harriet Harman has been in the news recently, and not just for her driving. There’s not much I like about her, but I do cheer this
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/nov/20/pay-public-virus-top-people
Checked out the new Canning. Seems they’ve just repainted it and pulled out the nice sofas. Hard cafe like square tables and chairs all round now. Very boring. Mixed crowd. At least it’s open I suppose.
The Joiners is really picking up some of the Buckle leftovers.
For my money, the Phoenix on a Friday was really nice. Pleasantly busy, good tunes, and it’s a really nice interior at that place.
Vestry Rd kebab shop reopens this week. Tried its predecessor a time or two but it was never good. Let’s hope this one’s better. Menu suggests all the usual bab shop post pub fare.
Work has begun on Silver Buckle and Willow on Denmark Hill is in the middle of a complete refurbishment too… Don’t know what it’s going to be but there’s a couple of huge acorn shape finials on bannister posts at the back of the room, which looks like a small raised area where the bar used to be and a food display counter on the right of the room. Has the look of a cafe or remotely possibly a deli. I didn’t have time to be nosy enough to ask the guys doing the work if they knew what it’s going to be.
Heard also on the grapevine that Ambrosia might be thinking about doing a radical make over to bring the interior up to the very high standards of the authentic south Indian food they cook there.
ON the subject of pay levels; I find it incredible that high office public servants earn three, four five times more than the people who employ them. I find it incredible that our society encourages pay deals in the private sector which bear no relation to the social value of the business being conducted, does not encourage responsible, sustainable business practice and has no relation to the income of the lowest paid worker.
I think the highest paid people should never be able to draw more than ten times the salary of the lowest paid member of a workforce; an entirely arbitrary figure that just popped into mind.
Everyone is important in society. But the way we look at pay it seems that footballers and pop stars are the most valued.
I’m not sure I heard this properly but as I was driving (apologies to all) Black Eyed Peas were on and I think I heard a whole song where the lyrics ran along the lines of ‘I want to be rich’ ‘I want a big place to live’ ‘I want a beautiful maiden/boy/lover’ ‘I want I want I want to be pampered blah blah’ ‘for doing nothing’ nonsense. The dialogue I was having with myself in my incredulity of this — what with their being No1 for the first time as well — drowned out the detail.
It’s a basic human right to want to have everything without industry. Incredibly vacuous, rubbish, very popular and making them incredibly rich too.
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/b/black_eyed_peas/i_gotta_feeling.html
This one?
Doesn’t really say what you heard..
Or this?
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/blackeyedpeas/gonegoing.html
says pretty much the opposite. Site your source Mark please..
Gay Camberwell
Glad you like the cinema idea…We need as much support we can get to try and do something positive and I reckon a cinema is the best bet…
I have so many ideas, yet I am always working…must get to the next SE5 Forum/People’s Republic Southwark meetings…I’m in the mood for revolution…Yeah
While I’d really love there to be a cinema, I’m not sure it really is the best bet (well, depending what the other bets are!) — Peckham Multiplex and Brixton Ritzy are within about a mile of Camberwell. While the Ritzy seems to do fairly well, the Multiplex is often pretty empty when I visit, and it’s probably the same sort of catchment area — am not sure how convincing a business plan could be devised… though I’d love somewhere like the Rich Mix, a combination bar/restaurant/cinema/arts space. And I’d wholeheartedly support any application for any type of positive developments in that direction! In the meantime, we’ve tried to create a mini-cinema on Sundays
@Phil G: I picked up a flyer for Vestry Fish Bar; in very clear letters on the front it states: Excellent Hygiene. I can only imagine why the last incarnation was closed down.
@Alan. I can’t go through that CD any more but thanks for proving to me how comprehensively wrong I am about the Black Eyed Peas. I still hate them and always will.
Heard today that Noodel City is doing well — very busy and often so. Also that Oberon is reusing furniture from Silver Buckle for its new incarnation. Why not? Captain’s chairs are traditionally used in pubs. Why I can’t imagine.
Cruson is rumoured to be toward the end of its life as is since the owner is expecting to retire next year. Now THAT would be the end of an era and a great opportunity for any amount of interesting new developments. And Cruson is SUCH a marvellous name it would be a crime to change it, no matter what it becomes in its next incarnation.
Curry Quiz at The Sun and Doves tomorrow night (Wednesday 25 November) new compere Michael will be presiding over proceedings. It’s national curry week. I have an awful feeling the oft times struggling Cobra Beer company (pre pack administration cobra co) is responsible for the notion of a national celebration of curry. One of our chefs, Matthew Praveen, is from Kerala and he’s cooking up delightful authentic, well he does know what he’s doing, south Indian fish, chicken and vegetarian curry dishes for the rest of the week.
@eusebiovic & gaycamberwell — we’re looking at 2nd week of january (week starting 11th jan) as this would give us some time to, if need be, put forward some comments to the core strategy thingie too before the february deadline.
there may be an opportunity to do something mid-december, too, will let you know as soon as it happens
x
They expect a few ‘haters’ Mark. Hazard of the trade.
‘Ignore all the haters, inform all the ladies,’
Judging by your comments and erotic photos on your flickr page I’m sure that’s a sentiment you share.
Rich Mix idea sounds very good…
We could even try and get the African and Latin American film festivals to use cinema as well as London College of Communication and Camberwell Art students to show their films there…
Have scoured the flickr photos for erotica, perhaps involving arts students, but there’s nothing. Please don’t get hopes up Alan.
I’m specifically thinking of some of Mark’s pictures of bikini clad girls from his youth..
No flickr in the office but I’ll put the link up later unless someone else can be arsed..
Joking apart some of Mark’s photos are very emotive. I am a big fan and recommend a viewing.
that said, he also photographs his reflection a lot…
“Inform all the ladies,” is nice. We like to be kept up to speed, in the swim, going forward.
Talking of stimulation & satisfaction, OOCL EXPRESS thundered through Camberwell yesterday, a loco named after the owners, one of the biggest shipping companies in the world. Based in Kong Kong, they boast the biggest vessel in the world, stretched and pimped from a previous ship in a process known as “jumboisation”.
The addition of a nameplate to a humble ying ying brings out all the slap, tickle and romance of locomotion for the knackered parent in the trackside park.
Morrison’s are selling a screwcap Californian red for less than 4 squids. Avoid. It is the sort of wine that leads to dark brown squid marks on the white bedsheets.
Intriguingly, they have a 3 litre briquette of red wine called “Cabaret” to diddle the dithering wine buyer into thinking it is “Cabernet”. It is of 8% abv and vinted in Huddersfield, presumably on the magnificent terroir by the River Holme and River Colne.
Think Alan might be referring to one photograph in particular: http://snipurl.com/tf3pp
Or perhaps this: http://snipurl.com/tf3qj
or this: http://snipurl.com/tf3qn
They are, as far as I recall, the only ones of bikini clad women.
There are many more of reflections of me. Many of which happen because there is a reflection in a window and the photographer happens to be in the way of the view. Apart from vanity that is.
An 8% three litre briquette of red from Huddersfield. UGH. Aghhh. Puh!
on a completely unrelated to dagmar note (sorry dagmar
) i went to an interesting training about the london plan today http://www.peoplesrepublicofsouthwark.co.uk/news/planning-for-a-fair-and-sustainable-london-training
also, some of you may find this bit really encouraging http://ucljustspace.wordpress.com/2007-just-space-briefings/lifetime-neighbourhoods-2008/
(i know i do, as it proves there’s more likeminded people out there!)
It was a hazy impression based on both of those pictures.
Thanks Mark.
Yes. Not all class 66 yings yings or “sheds” as gricers also call them have no name. “Blue Lightning” passed through yesterday, officially named by GB Rail Freight’s loco manager’s 3-year-old nephew after a staff competition to find a good name for 66702 for the first anniversary of the co-operation between Railtrack and GBRf in 2002 to celebrate their partnership “in the haulage of infrastructure services” as trains were called in the slurry of pre-crunch added-value jargon folly.
No Alan, thanks to you. Good you’re back as well, was on the point of sending out an APB request and there you were again.
Went on a very quick run around the pubs in Camberwell last night, every one of them what I’d consider to be scarily quiet at 8.30pm.
Dagmar are you really a trainspotter?
1 in 20 London social houses is illegally sublet.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/nov/29/council-housing-fraud-informants-rewards
Even I — a middle class office twit — know of two. I could scoop a grand here and, money or not, it’s the right thing to do. One is in my block. Thing is, it doesn’t sound like there’s much comeback for the illegal landlord. And the tenant will just get turfed out. And the one in my block is very quiet and no bother. What happens if he gets replaced by a ‘problem’ individual or family?
Our pubs are often very quiet. It worries me sometimes. A quiet business is like a party that nobody turned up to.
My lass lives in Brixton and says there are always loads of groups and activists and so on meeting up, like in the top room at Dogstar. Some of them are political, some not.
Anyway, got me thinking, I’ve never noticed this in SE5 or SE15, nor have I seen it advertised anywhere in the library etc. Has anyone got any links to any groups? Even bookclubs etc.
Apparently The Castle Pub at 188 Camberwell Road is now to become a “place of worship”.
@phil g: phil, there’s us, although we do not as yet meet up on a regular basis, for the simple reason that we have no ‘home’ if you like, but are very much working on it.
the only regular things i’m aware of are in squatted social centres, one in the library house, knatchbull road, se5, there’s a link from our site to them, they’ve got stuff on pretty much every day. and are a lovely bunch of people.
personally i think there’s a massive need for spaces where people can continue learning, people of all ages — i really have issues with age/race/gender-specific activities as there’s zilch to do for someone in their 30s or 40s for example, unless they’re (un)happily in employment & can afford to be going from one eatery to the next.
argh im starting to sound like a broken record. sorry :S
Londonpatsy is right:
http://tinyurl.com/oh-no-not-another-church
Can’t Southwark Council declare a ‘place of worship saturation zone’?
Actually, looking at the application in more detail, it’s going to be a mosque not a church. The only issues the council seems to consider are 1) the level of disturbance including noise 2) the loss of the previous use. It seems the council is convinced that noise will not be a significant disturbance in this case and there is a pub opposite so no significant loss of use in the area.
Of course, this completely ignores a whole range of other objections based on the impact on the local community of having every vacant building turning into a place of worship. The arguments of the local tenants’ association (copied below) don’t seem to be relevant concerns for planning issues.
“As Vice-Chair of the Castlemead Tenant’s and Resident’s Association I have taken advice from members who attended our meeting on 29 October 2009…and there was unanimous disapproval of the amended application and objections made.
“We object to the change of use of the Castle public house to a place of worship on the grounds that the building is part of our estate, and should be used for the benefit of all tenants and residents, regardless of background, and not a place of worship. For example, it could be used as a meeting place for the local community or a youth centre.
“We also object because there are already several places of worship on Camberwell Road, for example, the Nationals (former hardware store) just a few yards from the Castle pub has been ‘converted’ into a place of worship. However, no effort has been made by the people who worship there to make the old shop front look attractive. The old signage is still there, and the building looks shabby.
“We would urge Southwark Council to encourage the use of the Castle pub building for something that will benefit the WIDER community, and not a minority.”
I personally don’t think the freedom to worship should always extend to the freedom to have a private premises in which to worship. The multitude of different and seemingly endlessly proliferating religious sects and denominations cannot all be accommodated separately. As an alternative, I would like the council to require the establishment of a limited number of shared non-denominational places of worship to be booked by particular groups just like other community resources.
The Castle really was a saturation zone — the clientele were right old soaks. In its heyday it was quite jolly. There were characters from the Richardson days. The Nag’s Head will probably go the same way.
Does anyone know anything about the line– and leaf-clearing loco units that bomb through Camberwell at great speed? DR 98930 and DR 98980 shot through today. I can’t find anything about them on the web.
Praise the Lord!
http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/developing-world-stories/2009/11/channel-4-returns-to-africas-w.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/29/uganda-death-sentence-gay-sex
And I agree, the front of former Nationals is shabby.
such a shame about The Castle, but as long as the mosque sells good beer on tap, should be ok.…..
This is the Castle on Camberwell Road, sg, not the one on Church Street.
Forgive me not had time to read all about the Castle but — it is simply WRONG for this to become a place of worshhip — wrong place wrong location wrong wrong wrong. IT should be a retail space. It only failed because it was a tied pub in the first place. If it had been freehold it would still be a pub and still be attracting old soaks like Dagmar. And still be a part of community life. Church my foot.
Going to the photo call at Denmark Hill station now. Then crunch meeting with my gestapo freeholder S&NPE at 10.30 — wish me luck. If they don’t play ball it’s curtains for S&D too. This is no idle boast, I’m not joking.
Yesh, goo’ luck there, Mark. I agree about the Cashtle. It should be an alehoushe not a plashe of worse-ship.
phew @ Peter — “that” Castle. Been closed for as long as I can remember, doesn’t make it right to be a church though. Nothing against churches but I agree with Mark about it being much more suited as retail space.
Even something like a 711 would probably do well there.
Hey, sg, the mosques are well situated, well run and well respected round here. The absurdly-named, casting-out-of-spirits places are inconsistent and within that category often opportunistic, not to mention noisy. The mosques are modest, decent and peaceful.
There are mosques round here? Just that I never noticed any. The signs to the African evangelical places just depress me. Like some sort of self-help book gone wrong.
I see 4T4 has shut. Never really explored it. Went in once and all they had on was jollof rice and that was not good, and the staff were rude. Its closure is still a loss though.
This weekend lots of artists are having an open show at The Arches, Blenheim Court, right by Bar Story. Ceramics, painting, sculpture etc. Maybe some good Xmas presents?
@ Castle — all part of the Southwark Retail Strategy (extinguish all retail/service activity in-between town centres to preserve ‘retail capacity’ for the centres and even for neighbouring boroughs). More here and here.
Meanwhile, will this come down the New Road or Walworth Road?
Let’s hope so. The new wagons are magnificent juggernauts and full of crisps, they say.
The full-page, back-page ad in the Guardian Review on Saturday was for the Yankel Feather private view on Friday and following show. That’s a whole Guardian page for an art show at GX Gallery on Denmark Hill near the Morrison’s.
On a winter’s day like today, Southwark’s retail rapacity strategy and the loss of the old Castle estate pub where many people had such a rattling good time brings to mind that strange song “California Dreamin’”.
I stopped into a church
I passed along the way
I got down on my knees
I pretend to pray
Oh the preacher loves the cold
He knows I’m gonna stay
California dreamin’
On such a winter’s day.
Yes, I would say that more places of worship are exactly what is needed in Camberwell, for sure. That and discount stores, betting shops and fast food outlets. We’re in safe hands with Southwark Planning Office at the helm. Yes sirree.
Trust in the invisible hand of the free market, Stuart; it hasn’t let us down so far!
Try running a pub.
Yankel Feather was a proper Camberwell fellow traveller in many ways, passing through, going forward.
He was a Jewish gay chap who ran a club called the Basement in his native Liverpool — he once ejected John Lennon who slashed one of his paintings on his way out. His art exhibition will be fascinating.
Yankel is not to be confused with Felix Wankel, the inventor of the rotary engine, or with Rudolf Diesel, whose engine superseded reindeer power, or Felix Mendelsohn, who also passed through Camberwell.
It is no use middle-aged, grump blokes complanning against the African churches with their funny names replacing pubs that can no longer make a living. Tiny corner shops and pubs have long disappeared from Camberwell and all over the world. Think of all the corner shops that must have disappeared from Bombay.
In Camberwell/Peckham, the African churches have a market. Their customers are God-fearing people who can support a pastor with their tithes, which is more can be said for the drinkers who can no longer drink enough to support the landlords.
The Christian churches of West Africa have done a lot to get rid of the lethal beliefs that were a corruption of the original religions.
Meanwhile, the mosques continue quietly and calmly on.
But if Millwall do not defeat Staines, then all hell could break loose.
Funny that Dagmar, Staines is the regional head office of my gestapo, I mean pubco.
S&D meeting today with S&N the first in fifteen years which seemed to make sense. Bit late in the day frankly but at least we’re still here and there’s a chance we will still be in another number of years (slim but true).
Went to Grand Union to celebrate over a glass of wine. £9.70 for two regular 175ml glasses of shiraz cabernet. That FREAKED me out. Either we are WAY too cheap or they are crazy.
Very interesting meeting yesterday with a senior chap at Southwark Planning and what happens to Section 106 planning gain money and the process behind how it’s decided it should be spent in our area. Have you heard of PROJECT BANKS? WE — the people of Camberwell — should REALLY get together and figure out we want SE5 to go. Just a thought.
Great news Mark. Rock on.
Hey, let’s all meet for a Xmas drinkie! I’m feeling uncharacteristically social and festive.
oops there’s a new blog post — I’ll stick my drinkie request there too.
I know my last information turned out to be wrong but according to the front desk at the Church Street Hotel, Angels and Gypsies tapas bar is opening tonight (Friday 11th Dec), though I found it hard to believe as when I was there at 5pm this afternoon, the windows were still covered in newspaper.
The guy seemed pretty excited about it and invited me along, but have got other plans tonight.
Can anyone confirm it’s now open?
Do not concern yourself. The Front Desk has been misinformative many times before. They are inscrutable. Like everything else around here.
Comber Grove Christmas Disco tonight. It’s going to be jumpin’ at my place later when all the revellers are bouncing around after their two hour jelly bean and psychedelic lighting feats.
Just walked past an hour ago and paper all taken down — a lot of staff milling around but I couldn’t see any punters in yet. Definitely going to head down there soon as I can. It’s been, what, 3 years?
It opened tonight; I’m planning to go tomorrow.
If it’s open today and we’d known about it. We might have gone there for our boy’s eighth birthday lunch but then on the second shift we’d probably be used as guinea pigs and served as tapas to the next wave of unsuspecting customers.
Ah…I wondered if the newspaper would ever come down from the windows of Angels & Gypsies…a long time a-waiting!
Shame about lack of spaces for community groups. We’ve just managed to locate a space…believe-it-or-not…in a place of worship!
For those that are interested: Djembe Drumming in Camberwell. Should be fun. Starts Jan 12th.
See http://www.oziozaa.com
Oh…Clockwork Studios are open today in Southwell road, off Coldharbour Lane. They’ve got lots of unique artworks for view and sale…might make good Chrissy presents!
Went along to Angels and Gypsies tonight — good quality food, and priced accordingly (i.e. more than average in Camberwell). Overall, we were pretty impressed. Speed of service was a bit on the haphazard side, and the portions were not huge, but the grub was authentic and well presented. I’ll definitely be going back. Price-wise, it’s probably more a special occasion type of place than an everyday restuarant.
@Yak. They spent three years pondering about getting it right… and here we go. Will try tomorrow if memory serves.
@Anita thankfully the place of worship is not one of those unlicensed and unplanned ‘churches’ at the end of my back garden.
Good quality ingredients, well cooked; a few quibbles over prices/portions, but generally really good. Full review tomorrow.
We went last night and were extremely impressed. Three years of waiting seems to have delivered Camberwell’s first real destination restaurant. We thought that the food was excellent, loved the decor and the ambience, and were impressed by the wine list. We also thought the food portions were very reasonable and were satisfied with all our tapas, our wine, our dessert and our cheeseboard. We were very happy with our bill too (£36) — thought it was reasonable and good value for money. This is a place to which we can really lure our nervous north London friends. Let’s hope they keep up the quality.
@Mark…ha, ha, no…I think this one is licensed and.…we’re not going there to worship — just to drum!
Went to the Grand Union last night. Platters for all and delicious food, good service. Reommend.
Okay, not very very new and not Camberwell but near enough and truly good enough to deserve a comment is La Costa Smeralda pizzeria and Italian/Sardinian restaurant (57 Nunhead Lane).
The delicious pizzas and wine list are definitely worth the easy bus ride from Camberwell on the 484; and the price v easy on the January pocket (meal in themselves pizzas c£8).
Who would have thought that a Truman’s pub could become the fabulous authentic pizza destination that this part of town needed (yes they do fresh pastas and speciality steaks too but hey I’m there for the pizza).
The Grand Union:
Rude too cool for school staff, place an absolute tip with plates and glasses on every table. Roast dinner came cold — no apology offered — stuck back in the microwave then came back without the Yorkshire puddings. Budget cabbage and carrots and one roast potato. No thanks. Made to feel like everything was OUR FAULT. No no no.
I think I might have served you that.
Were you the people that we gave the roasts too FOR FREE after cooking fresh ones (there is no microwave) … then you complained about your bill (forgetting how many drinks you’d enjoyed)
I no longer work there but serving people like you is a real chore!
Is something a changing at the George Canning?
The blackboards (that had turned the place into some kind of school memorabilia graveyard) seem to have been severely rationalised, the DIY store-type plastic signage skipped and the laminated menus no longer adorn the windows and doors…all seems positive but not sure I’m brave enough after my last venturing in to actually drink/eat there before hearing a good story from a fellow punter… Any ideas?
I believe there’s a new landlord starting there; the last one was an interim manager responsible for getting the business on its feet — I don’t think he did a very good job. Hope the new one is better, because the George Canning used to be a decent little boozer, once upon a time.
Sounds as if John, or ‘Red Adair’ as he liked to call himself, has moved on to save another pub.
George Canning — welcome to Liz and Brian the new managers!!
Ventured into GC twice in three days (having been giving a wide berth for about 6 months) really pleasing to see the place buzzing again.
Damien (previously of Rocket –now Buddha Jazz) is the new landlord and his new managers Liz and Brian from Devon are enthusiastic WITH experience. Very keen on real ale and good food — all sounds really good and they are planning a relaunch do on [I think] 24 April.
Fingers xd it sounds like we will have a hostelry we can love again.
I give them two years. Not because of them; because of the pubco they are renting from… That’s without knowing a jot about what’s happening there. I could be wrong but I’ve never been wrong before about this sort of tenure of a tied pub.
A hostelry we can love will come about when the tie is dead.
J Mark Dodds
Spot On! — I want to open a Cafe/Bakery but won’t do it in a pubco premises…
They are idiots — Brainless Buffoons
I wish the new couple well at The George Canning…
Paying unrealistic rent and over priced alcohol won’t help them to thrive in the early days of their tenure — That’s for sure…
Mark…Have you heard of Mitchell and Butler’s new plan to turn a lot of their outlets into “Harvester’s” and poison everyone with the lowest common denominator food chain?
Dread to think what they will do to The Phoenix